SONIA’S FAITH IS HER PRIVATE MATTER: HC

Chandigarh November 30:             A division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court dismissed an appeal to seek information under Right to Information Act on the religion practised by Sonia Gandhi. The bench comprising Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the appeal on whether the registrar general, Census Operations, is bound to provide details of the religion practised by the UPA chairperson and her children under the RTI Act. The appeal was filed by former Haryana DGP PC Wadhwa. While dismissing it the bench said, ''It is evident that the petitioner is making efforts to make unjustified inroads into the privacy of said individuals even if they are public figures. Consequently, the information provided to the Census Officer cannot be made public.'' The judges said, ''In our view, the provisions of section 15 of the Census Act, 1948 are not inconsistent with provisions of Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005 and both can be read harmoniously. Accordingly, Section 22 of the RTI Act, 2005 will not come into operation and cannot sustain the pleas of the appellant.

CID FILES CHARGE SHEET AGAINST NITYANANDA, FOUR ASSOCIATES

Bangalore November 30:             Controversial self-styled godman Nityananda and four of his associates have been accused of rape and unnatural sex in a charge sheet filed by CID in a court near here. The 430-page charge sheet filed before Ramanagara Chief Judicial Magistrate on November 27 has named Nityananda, Nitya Bhaktananda, Nithya Sachidananda, Nithya Sachidananda and Maa Sachidananda alias Ragini on the basis of two FIRs filed against them, a CID statement said here. While charges under IPC Sections 376 (Rape), 377 (Unnatural sex), 417 (Cheating) 506 (Criminal Intimidation) and 120 B (Criminal Conspiracy) have been made out against Nityananda, Nithya Bhaktananda has been booked under IPC Section 212 (Harbouring an offender) and 120 (B). Nityananda, who ran an ashram at Bidadi in the city outskirts, was mired in a controversy and had absconded after a purported video footage of him in a compromising position with an actress was aired on local Tamil channels. He was arrested in Himachal Pradesh on April 21. The charge sheet was filed by CID officer K N Yogappa, who investigated the complaint by two former disciples K Lenin of Chennai and T N Vishwanath after examining 101 witnesses in India and abroad and collecting more than 60 documents, it said. Nitya Sachidananda, Nitya Sadananda and Maa Sachidananda have also been accused of assisting Nityananda in committing rape and unnatural sex. Nityananda and Nitya Bhaktananda, who were arrested from Himachal Pradesh have been enlarged on bail, while Nitya Sachidananda arrested recently is now in judicial custody. Maa Sachidanand and Nithya Sadananda have not been arrested. During investigation, a woman witness, whose identity was kept confidential, appeared before the Investigating Officer and deposed that she was repeatedly raped by Nithyananda, not only at his Bidadi ashram but in other parts of the country as well, the CID said. Nityananda allegedly deceived the victim by stating she would achieve enlightenment if she subjected herself to his sexual demands and it would lead to the path of 'moksha' (salvation). During investigation, a number of agreements signed between devotees and ashram authorities taking consent of devotees for taking part in 'tantrik sex' were also seized. Many more such agreements were destroyed a few days before the case came to light, the CID said. The video CD produced by the complainant while lodging the FIR was sent for forensic analysis, which confirmed the recording was genuine and the image was that of Nityananda. Meanwhile hearing on the criminal petition filed by Nityananda seeking quashing of two FIRs was today adjourned by the High Court to December 1.

RANDHAWA LOOKING FORWARD TO WEAVE OLD MAGIC AT INDIAN OPEN

New Delhi November 30:

            Ace Indian golfer Jyoti Randhawa is looking forward to weave his old magic at the Hero Honda Indian Open, which returns to his favourite hunting ground - the Delhi Golf Club - from December 2.

''I am really looking forward to the Indian Open 2010. The Delhi Golf Club has always been a happy hunting ground for me so I want to take all the positives to the ground and hope to play my best, despite I am not in a great form'' Randhawa told mediapersons on the sidelines of unveiling the Hex City - Albatross International Junior Golf Championships Trophy.

Randhawa, the three-time Indian Open champion, further picked up PGA Tour champion Arjun Atwal as the favourite to win the event. ''(Arjun) Atwal would be my favourite to win the event this year. He is at the peak of his career and is coming back from his win at the US PGA Tour.

''Atwal has tendency not to play well in small tournaments but I believe he would come up with the best scores among all as Indian Open has now become a big tournament in recent years,'' he said. Indian leading golfers like Atwal, Randhawa, Jeev Milkha Singh, Daniel Chopra and Shiv Kapur had confirmed their participation in the event, though reports have emerged today that Jeev had pulled out of the event due to a back problem.

Jeev had also earlier withdrawn midway through the Casio World Open on the Japan Golf Tour last week because of the same problem. ''I just heard about it. We will definitely be missing him. He had a great chance in the event. ''Jeev has been playing very less tournaments in the recent past. I believe the age is catching us with all of us like Jeev and me. We are in our 30s, so we need to play fewer tournaments to hit the form,'' the 38-year-old said.

Randhawa further said a score of 12 to 18 under would be ideal at the DGC during the Indian Open, though he said he was yet to play at the course. The Indian Open which is usually scheduled in the month of October has been postpond this year due to the Commonwealth Games and the Gurgaon-based golfer said it is, indeed, for the Indian golfers as everyone can participate now.

''Its better for all of us. The conditions may be little different and it would be little drier and colder,'' Randhawa said. He was also delighted to know about top Indian amateur Rashid Khan turning a pro in the Indian Open 2010. Randhawa also feels that the bunch of Indian golfers like C Muniyappa, Ashok Kumar, Mukesh Kumar were no different than top golfers, but what differentiate them is the way the top pros handles pressure.

''They are good players. But what differentiate them is how they handle the pressure situation. ''There might be a surprise package this time as well stored because in golf, one hits his form wins,'' he added.

CENTRAL TEAM TO VISIT STATE TO SETTLE FOOD PAYMENTS

handigarh November 30:

            A team of senior officials of the Union Ministry of Food will be visiting Punjab this week to resolve the longstanding disputes, including clearance of pending dues running into thousands of crores of rupees.

The visiting team, to be headed by Joint Secretary RK Garg, will hold meetings not only with the senior functionaries of the Department of Food of the Punjab Government, but also with the top managements of other agencies associated with food procurement, storage and handling.

To pave the way for the settlement of longstanding demands of the Punjab Food Supplies Department, senior functionaries of the regional office of the Food Corporation of India also had a series of meetings with their Punjab counterparts. The Union Food Secretary, Dr Bhushan Chander Gupta, who was also on a visit here, also met the Punjab Chief Secretary, Subodh Chander Aggarwal, to discuss other demands of the state pending before the Union Food Ministry.

Talking to reporters, Dr Gupta, a 1975-batch Punjab-cadre IAS officer, also confirmed the visit of the central team to the state. The central food agencies owe to the state government more than Rs 8,000 crore as cost of procurement, transportation and storage of foodgrains on their behalf. The Punjab Government had been complaining that these costs were not being reimbursed on a regular basis. All that the Punjab food agencies got was ` 15 a quintal on shelling of paddy.

The Punjab Government, however, had been claiming over the years that the cost of transportation of foodgrains from grain markets to the place of storage was not being reimbursed. The shelling charges cover only the transportation of paddy from the place of storage to the rice mill and its subsequent delivery. One of Punjab agencies, Markfed, for example, had been demanding reimbursement of over Rs 2,500 crore incurred on food procurement operations.

Another disputed area between the Punjab Government and the Union Food Ministry had been the payment of administrative charges. The state agencies are responsible for 80 to 90 per cent of the total procurement operations for the central pool. In 2003, the Union Government agreed to pay 2.5 per cent of the total procurement cost of wheat. Nothing was being paid for paddy procurement. In fact, the paddy procurement operation is much bigger than the wheat procurement operation. Most of these issues are likely to be thrashed out during the coming visit of the central team.

SONIA’S FAITH IS HER PRIVATE MATTER: HC

Chandigarh November 30:

            A division bench of the Punjab and Haryana high court dismissed an appeal to seek information under Right to Information Act on the religion practised by Sonia Gandhi.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Mukul Mudgal and Justice Ranjan Gogoi dismissed the appeal on whether the registrar general, Census Operations, is bound to provide details of the religion practised by the UPA chairperson and her children under the RTI Act.

The appeal was filed by former Haryana DGP PC Wadhwa. While dismissing it the bench said, ''It is evident that the petitioner is making efforts to make unjustified inroads into the privacy of said individuals even if they are public figures. Consequently, the information provided to the Census Officer cannot be made public.''

The judges said, ''In our view, the provisions of section 15 of the Census Act, 1948 are not inconsistent with provisions of Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act, 2005 and both can be read harmoniously. Accordingly, Section 22 of the RTI Act, 2005 will not come into operation and cannot sustain the pleas of the appellant.

BROTHER QUESTIONS BADAL'S DECISION ON SUKHBIR

Chandigarh November 30:

Gurdas Singh Badal, the younger brother of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, has created a flutter in Punjab politics by saying that his elder brother virtually blocked the political growth of his son Manpreet Singh Badal by making Sukhbir Singh Badal the State's Deputy Chief Minister.

This is for the first time that former Akali Dal veteran Gurdas Badal has trained his guns on Chief Minister Badal, saying that as per an agreement between the two brothers, Sukhbir had to move to Central politics, and Manpreet had to become his heir-apparent in Punjab. His revelations, which he made in an interview to a Punjab Daily, have brought forth the long simmering differences among the Badal family as to who would succeed Chief Minister Badal when he retires. "It was of course Manpreet Singh," said Gurdas Badal.

According to SAD general secretary Maheshinder Singh Grewal: "It is pertinent to mention here that Gurdas Singh Badal revealed in the interview that he and Parkash Singh Badal decided to keep Sukhbir in Central politics and Manpreet was to be the Chief Minister of the State, but with the induction of Sukhbir in State politics, the way for Manpreet's becoming Chief Minister had been blocked and Manpreet was left with no other option than quitting the Government as well as the Shiromani Akali Dal."

Though the SAD is trying to attack Manpreet saying that he was overambitious and that is why he chose to revolt, the issue has once again brought out the fact that at one time Chief Minister Badal, himself, was keen to declare Manpreet as his heir-apparent. Grewal said that nobody should have any doubt regarding Manpreet's narrow political ambition which led to compelling circumstances for his ouster from the party and the Government, which was countered by a supporter of Manpreet, who said that in politics everybody has ambition.

"Manpreet has justified ambition to grow bigger than others in State politics. Sukhbir Singh Badal has also become Deputy Chief Minister with hopes of donning the mantle of Chief Ministership as soon as possible," he said. Gurdas Badal has also said that Manpreet would not resign his Gidderbaha seat in Muktsar district.

SENSEX REBOUNDS AFTER 4-DAY FALL, UP 268 PTS LED BY RIL

Mumbai November 29:

            Snapping its 4-day weak trend, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex today shot up over 268 points as investors judged the recent fall excessive in view of the sound economic growth outlook and a firm global trend.

The Sensex, which had lost over 820 points in the last four trading sessions following housing scam racket last week, bounced back 268.49 points to 19,405.10 on the back of a steep rise in blue-chip stocks led by Reliance Industries and Ranbaxy lab.

The Sensex has lost 7.6 per cent since reaching all-time high on November 5, on account of 2G spectrum allocation scam and the CBI arrest of eight senior officials of public banks and a private brokering firm on charges of bribery. The broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty also picked up and posted a gain of 78.05 points at 5,830.00.

The upsurge in the market on expectations of better GDP data to be released tomorrow, further supported by a firming trend in the Asian region and higher opening in Europe this afternoon. Reliance Industries, the most valuable company and heaviest weighted on the benchmark, surged the most since May by adding 3.70 per cent to 998.20. Ranbaxy gained the most in a month, rising 3.84 per cent to Rs 565.75, on reports that it has got US approval to sell Aricept, Alzheimer's treatment drug.

The recently bashed banking and realty stocks were seen recovering on fresh buying by funds in fundamentally strong scrips available at cheaper rates. The oil and gas sector index was the best performer followed by banking sector, as stocks led by ICICI Bank, State Bank of India and Bank of India ended with gains.

LIC Housing Finance, which had lost significant ground after the break of the lending scam, recovered by 1.72 per cent to Rs 948.10 on renewed interest in buying. Meanwhile, Money Matters, a company at the centre of the controversy remained under pressure and hit its daily lower limit by losing 10 per cent at Rs 344.30. It has recorded a loss of 50 per cent since the outbreak of the finance racket. Another firm in trouble after the CBI probe, D B Realty dropped 6.49 per cent to Rs 198 on panic selling.